Chapter 58

Chapter 58

Tessa’s face hardened noticeably. She forgot for a moment—that Janet was leaving the Jutert residence for good. She knew that there wasn’t much time left to meet and talk with a smile like this.

Janet burst into laughter as Tessa slowly looked as if she was mourning someone’s death.

“Are you so sad that I’m leaving?”

She was sad beyond disappointment. Tessa couldn’t even imagine not being able to see Janet here anymore.

Janet has been the most helpful and supportive person to Tessa for the past two years. When such a person disappears from her side overnight, how could she not be sad?

“Janet… to me…”

“Am I a precious person? Oh my god it feels so good. Thank you. I didn’t expect Tessa to think so much of me.”

Janet raised her voice and smiled cheerfully. It was as if she was soothing a spooked little child. It must have been that she was trying to lift Tessa’s mood.

But Tessa couldn’t help but smile when she saw Janet. She felt like her heart would go blank when Janet left. There would be no more moments for her to talk freely with Janet like this.

“Tessa.”

“…….”

“Can you look at me?”

When Tessa couldn’t make eye contact with her, Janet grabbed Tessa’s neatly gathered hands. Then Tessa reluctantly lifted her head and looked at Janet. Her delicate eyes seemed to be drenched in water.

“You’re someone I love, Tessa. We’ve been through a lot over the past two years.”

“…Me too…”

“Then shall we leave together?”

“…Huh?”

Looking into Tessa’s wide-open eyes, Janet burst into laughter once more. Because that’s a real flabbergasted reaction. She was so cute to death, really. Now, it was almost as if she was treating a younger sibling, Janet smiled and clasped Tessa’s hands, tightening her hold. A warmth could be felt through her thin lace gloves.

“It’s a joke, a joke.”

“…Don’t tease me.”

Tessa complained. Janet’s lips still had a smile on her face.

“Actually, I really want to, but… There are so many obstacles that are blocking the way. Because of that, I can’t afford to take Tessa with me. Maybe I can’t even take one step forward before we get caught.”

“…….”

“And you want to stay, too, Tessa. Next to the lord. Am I right? Be honest now.”

When Janet asked, Tessa trembled as if she had been caught stealing. Then she looked into Janet’s eyes and nodded slowly. She liked Janet, but she wanted to stay with Hert. She even promised him recently that she would be by his side.

“See. You don’t even want to leave with me.”

Janet shrugged her shoulders as if she understood it all, and reached out her hand to tidy up Tessa’s fluttering hair.

The flower crown she had made earlier and Tessa’s red hair went very well together. If there were fairies, wouldn’t they look like her? Janet understood why the new lord could not take his eyes off Tessa and act so unusually when it comes to her.

“Tessa, we’re not really separating.”

“…….”

“Even after I leave, we can meet anytime. It depends on whenever you want. And now you are learning to write. That’s really important. Because we can exchange letters.”

“But…”

“Nuh-uh, no buts. Just nod and say yes.”

“…Yes.”

Seeing Tessa nodding her head just as she was told, Janet barely pushed down on the urge to laugh. Seriously, Tessa was the kind of person she wanted to take care of the more she looked at her.

In fact, Janet did not know that she would become friends with Tessa until this far. She didn’t expect that Tessa would give her heart enough to be upset over their separation, and she didn’t expect that Tessa would want to stay friends even after she left.

She just came here thinking that she was making her last escape… The woman in front of her was so pitiful that she had to pay attention once or twice from this position. In addition, she can now sincerely pray for Tessa’s happiness.

Janet looked down at Tessa’s hand as she realized she was holding her hand.

“When… Are you leaving?”

“The first day of the coming week.”

“…That’s too soon…”

“On the contrary, I have stayed here for too long. Originally, I should have left already along with the other wives.”

In response, Tessa shook her head slightly.

“Don’t do that, I will ask Milord…”

“Don’t. It’s my choice. And there is a saying that when you feel sad about something, you should leave. I will bother Tessa if I stay here. You might just ask me to leave later—”

“…No!”

Suddenly, Tessa made a loud noise. Because of this, Janet and the people around her looked at Tessa at the same time, slightly startled.

Tessa, too, later realized what she had done, and her face turned red and she bowed her head. Embarrassed and scared, she couldn’t even look straight into Janet’s face.

‘What do I do… I shouted too loudly. I’m sure Janet will not like it…’

But what came from Janet was a joyous voice, as if full of glee. Before long, Janet took Tessa’s hands, waving it to and fro, and spoke like a bee flapping its wings.

“Tessa! I’m really happy right now. Do you like me that much? So much that you would like me to stay like this? Hmm, I guess I’m the type to receive blessings well. What greater blessing than for Tessa to think of me like this?”

“…….”

“Ah, the Lord should have seen this. That’s really sad. I wondered how his handsome face would change. Tessa too, right? I feel like I got a great gift.”

“…Janet…”

Janet stopped swinging Tessa’s hands and raised her pinky finger and held it out to her.

“Shall we make a promise?”

“…What promise…”

Janet bowed her body and whispered softly in Tessa’s ear.

“For Tessa to be more honest than she is now. It’s not difficult. You can do it like before, just like before. Then I’ll come pick you up any time Tessa wants to. Let’s go anywhere together. I think a trip with two girls would be fine.”

“…Then.”

“Let’s do away with the Lord together.”

Finally, Janet tapped Tessa on the bridge of her nose, giving a smirk. What was that… As Tessa said that, she smiled slightly. Soon Tessa put her little pinky finger on Janet’s that had been extended to her. Janet said again as she gave a satisfied look.

“But it’s not really a joke. Tell me anytime. Because you’re my friend, Tessa.”

The two women’s picnic did not last long. It was because dark clouds suddenly formed in the clear sky and rain started pouring heavily. While the servants hurriedly cleared the place, the two took refuge in a nearby pavilion.

Janet let out a half-drenched laugh as she alternately stared at herself and Tessa, both soaked wet.

“This reminds me of the convent where I was when I was young.”

“…A convent?”

“Yeah, actually, I’m from a convent.”

After Janet took the shawl from Mani and put it on Tessa, she said as she took the shawl from Jean and put it on herself. At the unexpected fact, Tessa reflexively let out a small sigh.

Janet, who seems to have no faith at all, was from a convent… She remembered Janet, who occasionally muttered, ‘What is a God, a God who froze to death’.

“It was unexpected, right?”

“Ah, well, that…”

“It’s okay, everyone thinks the same. Actually, I can’t believe it either. It’s not like you’re the first to speak up when I brought this up.”

Then she remembered the chattering people when Janet came in as the seventh wife of Marquis Jutert. That God would be enraged maybe it was because Janet was from a convent. Because nuns almost never get married.

“Anyway, that’s not the point. Sometimes I would be taking classes at the convent and often went out hanging out with my friends. At that time, I had a really hard time crossing the fence.”

Janet smiled as she remembered the old days and continued her words.

“Then, on days when it suddenly rained like now, my friend and I made a bet to get to a pavilion like this first. The loser gets a dutch rub. Something similar happening in this situation right now brings back memories of the past. Do you have any thoughts on a rainy day like today, Tessa?”

“Ah, I…”

At Janet’s question, Tessa frowned and looked outside as it was still raining. The same day as today… There was one place that came to mind. It was the orphanage where she did everything with Hert. Tessa nodded her head, raising the corners of her lips slightly.

“…There is.”

It was one of her happy memories. It was also a memory she will never forget. Tessa recalled the day little by little as she listened to the drizzling rain.

‘Oh, what to do? it’s raining!’

It was a day when she secretly went out on an outing with Hert using an errand as an excuse. The sunny weather turned dark in an instant, and raindrops dropped around. Because of this, Tessa and Hert scrambled to escape the rain under an abandoned building.

‘It’s pouring a lot. Will it stop?’

‘Let’s think about that later and wring your clothes. Isn’t it cold?’

Gently squeezing the water out from her wet clothes, Hert yelled at Tessa, who only looked outside. He was dissatisfied with her just carefreely watching the rain when she usually dislikes being cold.

‘No, it’s cold.’

‘I knew it. Come on. Let’s dry out of your hair first.’

Hert beckoned, and Tessa naturally walked over to him and let him handle her hair.